The present invention relates to articles of manufacture and associated methods, and more specifically, to articles such as containers, pet toys, treat and food dispensers, and balls and associated methods of manufacture and use.
It is well known in the art that boredom is a significant contributor to destructive behavior in domesticated animals. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,318 to Rucker and the prior art referenced therein disclose that barking, digging and other destructive behaviors are common problem behaviors of canines that become discontented or bored. As further disclosed in these patents, one common approach utilized in the art to address such destructive behaviors in dogs is to provide a toy with which the dog can interact and that encourages such interaction by rewarding the dog. For example, a first class of dog toys dispense food (e.g., treats) from a hollow interior cavity through an opening as a dog interacts with the toy. A second class of dog toy encourages interaction by providing an alternative stimulus, such as a sound or noise.
Examples of this second class of dog toys include pet toys that include squeakers or whistles. Further examples include dog toys, such as that disclosed in US 2011/0192353 by Willinger et al., which include a sound-producing member that makes a crinkling or crackling sound. In that publication, Willinger et al. specifically found:                When objects having crinkling, crackling, and/or rustling noise characteristic are handled or engaged by animals, such as dogs, the crinkling, crackling, and/or rustling noise characteristics enhance interest in the object and lengthen the interaction with the object, possibly because it resembles prey animals rustling through leaves and evokes a chasing and/or hunting instinct in dogs.With regard to the sound-producing member, Willinger et al. further taught that the sound-producing member is covered by a protective material and then sealed such that the sound-producing member “retains at least ambient pressure within the sound-producing member to prevent the sound-producing member from collapsing when chewed or otherwise engaged by the pet.”        